Corzine appoints lobbyist, disappoints public again

TRENTON – Gov. Jon S. Corzine appointed a lobbyist and a retired Supreme Court justice to the Public Officers Salary Review Commission.

The commission was created in 2000 as a creative way of giving state legislators some cover when it came to granting pay hikes for the Governor, cabinet officials, judges and prosecutors.

That way legislators wouldn't be held accountable to the voters, judges or prosecutors because they could claim they were just following the guidance of the blue ribbon commission.

The most recent pay hike for top government officials was sponsored by Assemblyman Neil Cohen, of Roselle.

Last week, Corzine, who says he wants to be held accountable, made his two appointments: former state Supreme Court Justice James Coleman of Scotch Plains, and lobbyist Hazel Gluck.

This puts Gluck in the position of suggesting pay hikes for people she lobbies -- perhaps giving the appearance that this violates the intent of the bipartisan bill, which says no one should be appointed who "are in positions that would be affected by the commission's recommendations."

The same thing could be said about Senate President Richard Codey's appointee, Michael Critchley, a criminal defense attorney from Essex County who often represents allegedly corrupt public officials in court.

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and Minority Leader Alex DeCroce each named a retired Superior Court Judge (Alan Vogelson and Robert Muir, respectively).That means three of the seven commission members so far are ex-judges.

If retired judges want to give their former colleagues pay raises, few political insiders will view that as shocking news.The final member of the vommission will be named by the newly-appointed state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, who has already advocated judicial pay hikes.

While the governor won't benefit from his appointments -- Corzine only takes a salary of $1-per-year -- the highly ethical Rabner could personally benefit from the vote of the commission member he appoints, unless he decided not to accept his own salary increase.